Paulie and Stephen left Olivia with Chloe and headed off to France. Both James and Olivia will join them later. The first stop was familar ground in Amiens where James & Neil joined Paulie and Stephen earlier in 2011. Although we visited WWI Somme battlefields then, this time we had a mission - to find Paulie's Uncle's grave. He was killed in WWI and family did not know where he was buried (he left for war before Paulie's father was born. This is how he fit into the clan). Interestingly, we had also found Stephen's Uncle's WWII grave in England at the end of 2007. We like our quests!
Next stop... Southern France...
Last Brit meal on the Dover Ferry- mushy peas, fish & chips.
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We took our Brit car "Betsy Ford" from England
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A re-run through Amiens
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Our hotel right near the Cathedral
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Back in Amiens
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Our mission- to find Paulie's Uncle James' grave at Sailly-au-Bois in the Somme
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Cemetery found with help from Pete Turnbull and NZ Defence Dept
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Signing in
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A kiwi "Dolores Cross" from NZ Defence Archivist Dolores Ho
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We volunteered to put kiwi crosses and photograph all NZ graves for the archives
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Turnbull tartan an added extra for James
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Cold work (yes - we flew the NZ flag so the French didn't think we were Brits!)
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A nearby remote site, so we take out the poppies and camera again.
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A grand yard for chooks
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En route to Paris- a Reims stopover
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The (service) entry to our Paris quarters - chambre de bonne (maids room!)
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We didn't bring our main bags which we locked in the car near Montmatre
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The sixth floor - just like the movie
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A room with a view
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But what a view
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Notre Dame up close and personal
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Hard work climbing those stairs
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New Year's Eve on Champs-Elysees
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Another austere year- no fireworks
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Enough walking for the day
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Another climb… to bed
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and the next morning….
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another view from our floor
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Jardin du Luxembourg
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Université Paris IV - Sorbonne
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A writing tour - places where Satre, Hemingway, et al hung out
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